DPD investment includes three ‘super-depots’

DPD the parcel delivery company announced its most ambitious expansion plans to date with the development of 15 new depots in the UK, including three new ‘super-depots’ which will be capable of handling 25,000 parcels a day. The majority of the new depots will replace or extend the capacity of DPD’s existing facilities, with nine brand new purpose-built, state-of-the-art depots being built. Four locations – Radlett (Hertfordshire), Liverpool, Brighton and Lincoln – will get a DPD depot for the first time.

The full list of locations being developed in 2014 is; Bridgwater, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Carlisle, Dartford, Edinburgh, Exeter, Feltham, Lincoln, Liverpool, Peterborough, Radlett, Reading and Swansea.

The new Edinburgh, Cardiff and Exeter developments will be particularly significant as these sites will be based on a new concept for DPD called ‘super-depots’. The super-depots will be built on seven acre sites (double the size of DPD’s current new-build depot sites), and will have the capacity to handle 7,000 packages an hour. The super-depots will be fitted with the latest automated sorting conveyers and will be up to four times as efficient as older depots. Work on all three sites is due to start this year with Edinburgh due for completion in 2014, while Cardiff and Exeter will complete in early 2015.

The development of these new sites represents the biggest ever expansion of the DPD network. It follows a period of sustained growth due to the unique Predict service which notifies parcel recipients of their one hour delivery timeslot in advance by email or text, and then lets them track their driver in real-time all the way to their front door.

Dwain McDonald, DPD’s CEO said; “In the last few years DPD has enjoyed unprecedented growth of 20% year on year. We’ve invested in our network throughout that period and this announcement today is the latest in a long line of developments designed to maintain the excellent service our customers have come to expect from us. As well as helping to future-proof our network in terms of being able to handle the anticipated increase in ecommerce parcel volumes, this investment in new depots will also create hundreds of new jobs.”

“The state-of-the-art new depots we’ve been building in recent years have made a huge impact on the network in terms of extra capacity and greater efficiency. Our new super-depots will take this to another level. In effect they will be ‘mini hubs’ capable of handling 25,000 parcels a day. This scale of investment sends a strong message to businesses and online retailers that we are a confident and growing company that can deliver a first class service.”

Last year DPD was granted planning permission to build a new £100m parcel hub at Hinckley Commercial Park in the East Midlands. Building work on the 33 acre site, which will be the largest of its kind in Europe and capable of handling 70,000 parcels an hour, is on schedule to be completed in 2015, creating up to 1,000 permanent full-time jobs.